Side Of A Bullet
by TheChosenKid
Summary: Joanne is working on a case but when things end badly, very badly, it is she who needs protection and her clients name cleared. Who else better to do this then the brave and determined bohos, who's taking the law into their own hands. Set in 2009.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, I know I have never finished my Boho Road Trip story, but I promise I will. I had some technical difficulties with my computer and my stories were lost...very sad *tear*, but I will try to finish it though, when I have the time. But until then, I hope you'll enjoy this multi-chapt fic. It gets very serious and very fast. It takes place in 2009. The title came from the song _**Side of a Bullet** by Nickelback_. BTW, on every story that I do, I never have my story planned out, 9 time out 10 I'm 'winging it' and these are one of those times.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters, just the ones I made up. Ofcourse, I trade anyday...

Side Of A Bullet

"Hey, did you read the paper this morning?" Mark sitting at the table in loft, reading the _New York Times_ while drinking his tea. He glances up to see a half sleep Roger on the couch, not even paying attention to his roommate. "Roger, I said did you even heard what I said?"

Roger sighs and mumbles. "What?"

Mark grabs his tea and paper, and walks over to the chair next to the couch. "Check this out. It says, _'May 17, 2009. Christopher Heinsfield vs. The State. _

_Mr. Heinsfield is being charge with the murder of James Clifford, a store clerk in a Manhattan, during a robbery. His attorney, Joanne Jefferson, has made a statement saying that Mr. Heinsfield is innocent and has framed through this horrific crime. Mr. Heinsfield trial begins tomorrow morning.'_" He looks up at Roger to see his reaction, but ofcourse there's none. "Did you hear me? His attorney is _Joanne Jefferson_."

Roger sits up at the second sound of Joanne's name, confused. "Joanne's _defending_ this guy? This guys committed murder of some innocent store clerk. Never thought she'd turn into the yuppie scum. I mean, why didn't she tell us?"

Mark shrugs his shoulders and looks away. "I don't know, maybe she didn't want anyone to jugde her." He glances back at Roger. "Like you're doing now." Roger shoots him a glare with his eyes and Mark turn back to his paper, reading silently, rubbing his goatee. "Well, I mean, this explains why she hasn't been around for the past few months."

Roger rubs the stubble on his face. "You think Maureen knows?"

Before Mark could answer, the loft door slides open with a chipper Maureen and Collins who's dragging his feet not to far behind.

"Hey guys, we have to get to get out of this place! It's a kick-ass spring day." The diva smile fades. "First I have to take a piss." She runs off to the bathroom.

Collins walks over to the couch and swats Roger's legs off before taking a seat. "Did you guys hear about Joanne?" Mark nods in response. "I don't understand. We've known Joanne for about twenty years, and not once has she ever done something like this."

Mark leans forward, trying to bring the conversation into a whisper. "You guys, maybe we shouldn't judge on this. I mean, we don't know if the guy's innocent or not. After all, she's obviously knows more about this case than anybody, maybe knows something than we do."

Collins glances at Roger, then back at Mark. "You really believe that this guy could be innocent? They say the guy's DNA was all over the store clerk. Makes you wonder how much they're paying _Joanne Jefferson_ to do the case to protect a killer like Christopher Heinsfield."

Mark becomes slightly disgusted on how his friend has said Joanne's name. "After two seconds and you're already saying her name like she was _Benjamin Coffin III_. You don't know the whole story."

Roger lies back down, placing his feet on Collins lap. Maureen slowly walks into the room, and Mark looks up at her, deep into her eyes. With her saying a thing, he knew exactly what just happened.

"You heard?" He asked, even though deep down he already knew the answer.

Maureen stares at him for a few moments before answering. "Every word."

**_A/N: Next Chapter, thing gets serious very very fast. Quiet deadly if I do say so myself._**


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: This was originally two chapter, but I just combined it into one. My story isn't showing up on the site. How can I fix that? Oh am I debating whether to make Angel alive or not, so let me know if you want her in. Oh Mimi's gonna make an appearance the next chapter. Hope you'll enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Rent or it's characters...I just wish I did._

After a night of having her phone ringing off the hook, Joanne hadn't had much sleep. She didn't want to deal with anyone right now, she wanted to win this case. She pulls up in front of the courthouse and before she could react, about two dozen news reporter comes charging to her car. _The case that'll change my life._ Joanne Jefferson has become a rising name in the past ten years in the court, after her break up with Maureen. _Maureen, my friends, they all should know about the case by now. No scratch that, I_ know _they know about the case, they're the ones who been calling me all day and night yesterday._ She takes a deep and step out of her car and immediately get ambushed by flashing cameras and microphones_. Jeez, at this rate, my clients going be represented by a blind lawyer._ She slips her hand in the jacket and pulls out her shades, letting her long corkscrew curls cover her face and rushes past the media, hurrying into the building. To avoid more reporters that probably snuck in the inside, she just goes to security to get check out before heading in the courtroom.

As soon as she steps into the room, she looks up to see that all eyes are on her. Most are disgusted, few are supportive and worried, but what scares her the most, some are highly known criminals with demented grin on their face. _Just stay cool. You've been a lawyer for over twenty years, these people fear you. You even put some of these people away before._ She walks forward and takes a seat at her desk, her client already seated.

Her client looks at her, feeling her nervous vibe. "Hey, and I gonna be okay? Are you having second thoughts?" Tears slowly form in his eyes.

Joanne stares at him for a moment, begins asking the question to herself. She reassures him with a smile. "Chris, I'm sticking by you all the way." I hope he's convinced.

"All rise!" The bailiff announces and after that, everything became a blur to Joanne.

Luckily for Joanne, she's been a lawyer for so long, she knows the routine and responded out of habit. Until…

"Christopher Heinsfield, you have been with first degree murder, how do you plead?"

Joanne immediately snapped out of her daze. This _was it, the case that'll change my life. _She gives the judge the look of determination, the look of confidence. _This is why I became a lawyer. This is why I do what I do_. "Not Guilty."

_**Bang!**_

"Someone call 911!"

"Hurry!"

"Oh my god! This can't be happening!"

"There's blood everywhere!"

Later that afternoon, at the Life Café, Collins, Maureen, Mark, Roger and Benny are there having drinks, thinking things though.

"I just doesn't make any sense! How the fuck could she do this?! I mean has she changed so much? I haven't talked to her in two years and she's acting like this?!" Maureen's been going through a rant since the day before.

Benny takes a sip of his beer before speaking. "Come on Maureen, the rest of us saw Joanne three months ago and she's been the same Joanne that we all know."

Maureen was going to comment until she's cut off by the bartender.

"Everyone Quiet!" The bartender shouts from behind the bar as he turn up the t.v. inside the bar area, watching a special news report. The restaurant goes silent, some watching the t.v., while other mind their business.

The reporter speaks outside the courthouse in Manhattan. _"Earlier this afternoon, before the Christopher Heinsfield trial could begin, a shot was fired into the courtroom. No one knows who the shooter was aiming for, but person who was hit was Heinsfield's attorney, 44 year old Joanne Jefferson. Witnesses say that as soon as she said 'not guilty' for her clients plea, she was hit, leaving some to believe that this was a possible assanation. Police do not know if she was the intended target, and are not answering any questions at this time."_

The room stood silent, as they heard the report, most of the occupants knowing Joanne. At the boho table, all they could do was stare at the screen, not believing what just happened.

Mark was the first to speak, but in a slight panic. "Holy shit, we have to go."

Thirty _very long_ minutes later, the group head to the front desk in the hospital.

Maureen's heavy breathing gets the nurse's attention. "Hi I'm looking for Joanne Jefferson."

At that moment, a doctor walks over to the out of breath group. "I'm sorry but only family is aloud to see Mrs.-"

"_Ms._ Jefferson." Maureen corrects with quite attitude.

Mark shifts Maureen behind him, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to hold her if she snapped. He walks up to the doctor. "No offense sir, but we _are_ Joanne's family. She was shot today. Can you at least tell us something? Is she okay?" He asks, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

The doctor glances at Maureen, Collins, Roger and Benny, behind Mark and sighs. "Joanne is going to be fine. The bullet missed her heart. More close to her shoulder actually. Now, you can go see her but be aware that there are two officers guarding outside of her room."

Maureen rushes passed the doctor saying 'thank you' as she did. She didn't even bother to look behind her to see if her friends were following her. All she saw was the two officers standing outside the door, the door she's determined to enter. They place they're hand out in front of her to stop her.

"Ma'am-"

"We're her friends." Maureen explained.

The officer looked confused. "_We're_?"

"Mo!" Collins called as he and the others finally caught up to her. He turns to see the officers. "We're Joanne's family."

The officers look at each other, then back at the group. "Go on in."

They walk in slowly, feeling the vibe that they're are proud to be a family. The but proud mood changes to heartbreak when they see Joanne.

**_Next Chapter: Joanne explains. And Mimi shows up, and if you want maybe Angel?_**


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: This chapter is short, sorry. Hopefully the next will be longer._

_Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own any of these character._

Just lying there in the bed, strapped up to a monitor, Joanne actually looks like she's sleeping. They stand around the bed in silence. _Beep…Beep…Beep…_

_Oh my god. That sound is so annoying. Make it stop. No, it can't stop, keep beeping, if it's letting me know that Joanne's still alive._ Maureen walks over to the side of Joanne's bed, and reaches over to her hand. "Joanne…pookie. Are you okay?" Roger's cell phone goes off and steps into the corner and answers it.

Collins leans against the wall, guilt crashing into him. _I can't believe I almost turned on family like that. She almost got assassinated over this case. I wish I can take those things back…_

A tear falls down Maureen's face as she clutches Joanne hand harder. "Joanne, I know you're there, please open your eyes. Are you okay?"

Joanne mumbles with eyes closed. "You guys, I'm okay." She opens her eyes to a blurry room, but even with the blur, she can still make out who's there. _Mark, Benny, Collins, Roger, and…Maureen?_

Roger looks over to Joanne and start talking into his phone. "Yeah, she just woke up. Hurry." He hangs up his phone. "Mimi and Angel are almost here from the airport."

Joanne looks around the room to notice that indeed, Angel and Mimi weren't there. "Where were they?"

Roger slowly walks over to her bed, feeling guilty himself. "They had a commercial to shoot but they heard what happened and took the first flight home."

Mimi had stay at the Cat Scratch Club for a few more years, but then got discovered by a dance choreographer for music videos, and became well known, very fast. Angel started selling her designs while she drummed to make some extra money, then Mimi helped her open up her own clothing line, _2Day4U_. They were on the cover of a big magazine as number one of the _Top Ten Celebrity Best Friends,_ even had their own segment together on_ E! True Hollywood Story_, featuring the rest of the bohos.

Maureen moves in closer towards Joanne, wiping her tear so Joanne wouldn't see it. "Joanne, what happened?"

Joanne takes a deep breath. Should I tell them? No, that can only lead to getting them into trouble too. "I-I can't."

Collins walks over beside Mark, who's at the foot of the bed. "Come on. We tell each other everything. What are you keeping from us?"

"I can't. I have to protect you guys." As the words stood in the air, each boho took the time to calculate what she just said. Joanne sighs. "I don't want to put you guys in danger. It's this case."

Roger gets frustrated. "Joanne, just tell us what the hell is going on. Why did you get shot?"

Joanne gives in, but with hesitation. "I haven't been around lately because I'm being watched, and I was protecting your safety. Someone wants Christopher Heinsfield to take the fall for the murder, they contacted me to make him plea guilty, but I couldn't do it. He's innocent and I wanted to prove it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys, I-" She couldn't continue as tears stream from her face.

Maureen holds on to her ex-girlfriend, her mind racing with confusion and fear of what she just told her. "It's gonna be okay baby. We're I'm not gonna let anything happened to you. I just can't believe this happened to you."

Joanne slightly chuckles, trying to lighten up the mood. "It's not that bad actually. I needed the rest, you know how I get when I have an important case."

An hour later, Mimi and Angel comes in the room with worry written all over their faces. Maureen rests her head on Joanne's bed as they both sleep, never letting go of her hand. Roger immediately went to Mimi and Angel to Collins. Collins explains to the two Latinas about the situation.

"This is crazy." Mimi announces.

"How long has she been sleeping?" Angel asks.

"They fell asleep about twenty minutes ago." Collins says. "Mark and Benny stepped out to pick up some dinner."

_**Next Chapter: The boho's try to find a way to help Joanne.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: I know I said I this chapter the boho's was gonna come up with a plan to help out Joanne, but at this point, I decided to point out what has happened over the years with the bohos. Remember I'm winging it, so I apologise ahead of time if it doesn't make sense._

_Disclaimer: Unforutantely I don't own Rent or it's characters. JL has the honor of claiming them._

Outside the hospital, Benny is holding the greasy pizza for him and his friends and Mark is filming outside the hospital. He didn't capture much, just a couple of homeless people, someone running a red light, and some guy in a suit pacing fiercely back and forth, turning a deep red. _Must be an expecting father._ He thought to himself as they walked inside.

When they went inside Joanne's room, almost everyone was sleeping, except for Collins. Mark took a moment to look at everyone, seeing that so much has change, and yet nothing has changed at all.

He looks over to Roger and Mimi. Mimi had kicked off her expensive shoes and was now curled up in Roger's lap, her soft snore sounding more like a purr. Roger, who Mark thought was asleep, only had his eyes closed as he was humming his hit song, _Your Eyes_, in Mimi's ear. A few years after Roger wrote the beautiful song, he got a chance to record it and became an instant hit. Now living as a _One Hit-Wonder_, Roger has finally accepted the fact that he'll be always known as Roger Davis, the one guy who sang _Your Eyes_, kind of like _Jessie's Girl_ by Rick Springfield. But it hasn't been too bad, cause every time someonr's dumbass boyfriend somewhere leaves his girlfriend and downloads this classic song to win her back, whether it works or not, that's still money in _his_ pocket. _Life…_

Mark chuckles to himself. He turns and looks over at Collins and Angel and chuckles a little more. _Of course Collins had already gotten three slices of pizza._ After Angel's near-death experience almost twenty years ago around Halloween, Collins never took advantage of his time with his Angel. So when Angel's clothing line _2Day4U_ had started to get really big and Angel opportunities started to get even bigger, she turned down fashion shows in Europe just to stay with Collins. When Collins figured out what she was doing, he felt that he'd rather her live her dream, while he started his own five star restaurant _Santa Fe_. Angel woke up from sitting in Collins lap and smile when she looked into her lover's eyes, giving him a precious while stealing one of his pizzas when he was clearly distracted. _Perfection…_

Mark shook his head at it and wandered over to the pizza box to get himself a slice of pizza. He grabs one and glances to his right to see Benny looking into his wallet. _His kids…_ After Muffy…Allison found out about Mimi, the two separated for a few months but decided to work things out and had two kids, a boy and a girl. Benny stopped charging rent for a few more years as he started thinking back at his life before he join the Grey family, and the bohos. Slowly but not necessarily surely Benny was making his way back into bohos' lives. When Allison started suspecting Benny messing around again, she made him choose between the boho's and her. Even without guarantee, he decided not to make the same mistake twice and left. His friends saw his sincerity in his friendship and respected him fully once again. His kids are now college students and used some of his money from the divorce to pay for it and to invest in Collins' restaurant. As life goes on, he's just glad that he's Benny again, and Benjamin Coffin III. _Redemption… _

Mark smiles as he sees the picture of his niece and nephew in Benny's hands. But the smile fades as he looks towards Joanne and Maureen. Maureen somehow found a way to sneak into bed next to Joanne, cramped and curled up to her _ex-girlfriend_, hands still clutching each other. Once upon a time they were known as MoJo. Ten years ago, ten year after they started dating, the happy couple hit a tragedy in their lives. Joanne's mother died of cancer. Joanne closed off towards everyone, _almost everyone_. Mark gently smiles at the thought, he just wishes he could have kept them together. Maureen became frustrated as she couldn't help the woman she loved. They both up mutually and decided to stay close friends although it was hard. Then they were known as Mo and Jo. Eight years later, Maureen announces she engaged to some woman she met while playing as an extra on _The L Word_. Joanne on the other hand could barely get passed the third date without a potential relationship. At the engagement party, Maureen and Joanne talked, reminiscing on their own engagement party eighteen years before. Feelings draw them closer once again and they spend a wonderful night together. Unfortunately, the next morning wasn't as pleasant. Joanne comes to the realization that Maureen has just cheated, and Joanne knows what it's like to be cheated on. A big argument occurred between the two, causing them to say things they wish they could take back. They still hung out with the rest of the gang but never at the same time, making sure they'd never see each other and never did saw each other again, until tonight. It's sad that it took something serious for them to see each other again. Maureen and Joanne were the two known as the oxymoron couple. Just because opposites attracted and they balance each other out, doesn't mean that they don't get disconnected and that the balance don't get tipped over every once in a while. _Complicated…_

Mark stands alone thinking to himself…about himself. _Today 4 U_, even after all these years, people still don't connect the film to Angel's clothing line, except their friends of course. Anyways, he won an award for his film. Three years after, he met a girl two year later, a girl that took his breath away with every glance at her. It was his old childhood friend Nanette. They stayed in the remodeled loft above Roger and Mimi's remodeled loft. Just then, his life was in the light. Ten years of being with the woman he loved, but he was afraid of marrying her, afraid that marriage would only ruin the perfection that they already had. Nanette, on the other hand, took that as a sign as Mark wanted out and left. Ever since then, he's been back in the dark, just watching his friends' lives play out in front of him. He rubs his goatee, continues to each his pizza and watches his friends in the room. _Observation…_

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**_A/N: I totally wasn't completely sober when I wrote this. My friends and I are taste testing drinks at my house_ _for our party on St. Patrick's Day and I decided to update during that time, being it was the only time I've been free this weekened. I hope you liked it and it made sense. _**


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